Tissue or fluid aspirated into EDTA lavender top, slides in slide holder.
Specimen
Please provide a copy of the original cytology report and CSU submission form with your request:
1. Blood and bone marrow: 0.5 mL EDTA whole blood or bone marrow sample in lavender top tube. 4-5 very cellular bone marrow slides can also be submitted. Peripheral blood smears are not acceptable. If available, please provide a Complete Blood Count (CBC) with pathology review or cytology/histology report of the bone marrow.
2. Lymph node and other organ aspirates: Fluid in EDTA (lavender top tube) or 4-5 cellular slides (smears or cytospins). No additional fluid (i.e., saline/serum) needs to be added to aspirated fluid. Stained cytology slides are acceptable. Glued cover-slipped slides cannot be used.
3. Body cavity fluid: Fluid in EDTA (lavender top tube) or 4-5 cellular slides (smears or cytospins). Stained cytology slides are acceptable.
4. CSF: Multiple cellular cytospin preparations are preferred (stained or unstained) or fluid in EDTA (lavender top tube). For the sample to be diagnostic, it is estimated that 50,000 lymphoid cells are needed. If the CSF has a lymphocyte count of 100/uL, at least 0.5 mL of fluid is needed, or the cells from 0.5 mL spun onto slides.
5. Formalin-Fixed Paraffin Embedded (FFPE) Tissue: For this sample type, use code CS86965 (Feline Intestinal Lymphoma Panel performed at MSU) or CS85562 (Lymphoma Panel PARR, performed at MSU). If specifically requesting that PARR testing be performed on FFPE tissue at CSU, please use code CS85503 and specify FFPE tissue for CSU PARR.
Test Description
PARR (PCR for Antigen Receptor Rearrangement) is an assay that amplifies DNA. This test helps differentiate between monoclonal cells (most consistent with neoplasia) or polyclonal cells (most consistent with a reactive process).
Note: PARR cannot be run on Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded (FFPE) samples/slides or slides that have coverslips attached to them. Non-diagnostic samples are obtained when there is too little DNA or in the presence of an inhibitor of the PCR reaction.